Federal competition authority wants fines from Karmasin and Beinschab

It is about agreements through which Karmasin should be assigned the task of conducting studies and opinion polls as a supposed “lowest bidder”. Criminal proceedings are also underway against Karmasin in this matter, among other things. The charges in this case became final last week. The BWB’s investigations were also initiated on the basis of cooperation with the Economic and Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (WKStA), according to a BWB broadcast.

According to the results of the investigation by the BWB, the companies from Karmasin and Beinschab as well as a third pollster are said to have made agreements with the aim of preventing competition before a total of five contracts were awarded. One public and two private clients are affected.

The three companies, for which the presumption of innocence applies, are said to have coordinated their offers and prices in such a way that in the end Karmasin’s company was awarded the contract as the “lowest bidder”. The other two are said to have often carried out parts of the orders as subcontractors. The public client concerned is likely to be the Ministry of Sports – in the criminal proceedings against Karmasin, an employee of this department is also accused.